Automatic electric time switch mechanism



Nov. 25, I952 E. W. ANDERSON 2,619,169

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1951 5Sheets-Sheet l NOV. 25, 1952 w ANDERSON 2,619,169

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH MECHANISM Filed De c. 11, 1951 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 25, 1952 w ANDERSON 2,619,169

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1951 3Sheets-Sheet 3 jgmza.

Patented Nov. 25, 1952 AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH MECHANISM Earl W.Anderson, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 11, 1951, Serial No. 261,039

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in clock operated switchmechanisms.

Speaking more specifically, the present inven tion relates to a timeswitch mechanism actuated by the works of a clock in which one canpreset the starting hour of any group of hours in the twenty-four dailycycle, pre-set the number of hours in the group of which the startinghour is the beginning, and also pre-set the number of times each houreach day that an appliance can be activated after it has been placed inthe electrio circuit energizing the appliance.

The need for such a device exists in the use thereof with other devicesin the field of mechanized sleep suggestion. Constructive suggestiongiven during normal sleep by various sound producing apparatus is fastbecoming recognized as a most effective therapy for the elimination ofunwanted habits, the creation of desired habits and the correction ofpsychosomatic ills. It is also possible by repeating during normal sleepany data that it is desired to memorize, such as foreign languages,formulae, lectures and the like, to record such material in memory insuch a way that it may be easily recalled to consciousness at will.

Accordingly, an important object of the invention is to provide improvedclock operated time switch mechanism which may be p-re-set so that itwill mechanically determine the number of hours time which will elapsebetween the time when the switch mechanism is placed in the circuit ofthe appliance it is to control and the time when the appliance is to beactivated; which is additionally pre-settable to mechanically determinethe number of hours that the time switch will energize the appliance;and which is also pre-settable to mechanically determine the number oftimes each hour that the appliance will be activated.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pivot meansfor a swingable switch arm positionable by the manufacturer whereby theprecision otherwise necessary in making the parts may be reduced.

A still further object of the invention is to pro-- vide an improvedadjustable cam pin in combination with the electric closing switch whichmay be turnably adjusted to vary the length of time between the closingand opening of the switch.

Yet a further object pertains to mechanism having a new and improvedmode of assembling whereby manufacture and assembling of parts arecheapened and facilitated and wherein such combined parts involve a newand improved mode of operation.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide in a timing switchof the above character a novel and improved assembly of cooperating cammembers which are adjustable in relation to each other in providing aregistered pair of notches in their periphery or a plurality of pairs ofregistered notches in their periphery in which to selectively seat theprojection of a switch carrying arm.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafterappear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown a preferredembodiment of the invention as now being actively demonstrated,

Fig. l is a fragmentary front elevational view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a right hand elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View in projection with the structure shown in Fig.1 on a smaller scale.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 86 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a rear view of the top cam assembly.

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the lower cam assembly with parts set foractuating an appliance four times an hour.

Fig. 9 is an inner face View of the outer, lower cam member.

Fig. 10 is an inner face View of the inner, lower cam member.

Fig. 11 is a front face view of the lower cam assembly with parts set toactuate an appliance twice an hour.

Fig. 12 is a front face view of the lower cam assembly with parts set toactuate an appliance once an hour.

Fig. 13 is a cased-in, left hand, elevational view of the device, a partof the near wall being broken away to disclose interior construction.

Fig. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the upper cam assembly perse.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of the pivoted,eccentric mounting of the switch arm of the device.

Referring in detail to the several figures and with particular referenceto the parts in the assembled views, therein will be found a casing Icontaining a housin 2 enclosing a motor of the type used in clocks andoperating an hour shaft 3 which carries a two toothed gear comprisingtwo diametrically spaced apart pins 4 adapted to mesh with the teeth ofand drive a gear 5 of the upper cam assembly 6 once every twenty-fourhours.

With the upper cam assembly co-operates a lower cam assembly 1, the gear8 which drives the latter assembly being driven by gear 9 mounted onmotor shaft 3 through the medium of idler gears I9 and II operatingtherebetween.

Cam assembly 6 is geared to rotate once every twenty-four hours, whilecam assembly I is geared to rotate once each hour.

A switch arm I2, eccentrically pivoted at I3 is normally under thetension of spring I l tending to close a conventional (micro) switch I5.Said switch together with its mounting mechanism is attached to arm I2.Arm l2 carries two lateral projections I6 and I1 which are permitted attimes to engage simultaneously within a gap I8 and notches I9 in therespective cam assemblies 6 and I. Only when projection IS on arm I2 isover the gap I3 of cam assembly 7 9 is projection IT on arm I2 permittedto drop secured to sleeve 22 adjustably mounted on stud shaft 23 andelement 2| being riveted to gear 5. Cam element 29 is adjustable inrelation to composite cam element 2i and gear as will be hereinaftermore fully pointed out.

Sleeve 22 has a diametrically enlarged free end portion 24 whereto issecured knob 25, said knob being provided with a pointer 26 manuallyseta table in relation to the graduations on dial 2'1. End portion 24forms an inner, annular shoulder at its juncture with the sleeve '22.Gear 5 is providedv with a hub 28 and between said shoulder and the endof said hub is mounted. a spiral compression spring 29. This spring isadapted to hold cams 29 and 2| together under friction, but at the sametime permit them to be manually moved in relation to each other. Theadjustment of the relationship of cams 29 and 21 is achieved by turningknob while the composite cam 2I and gear 5 is held against .movement byvirtue of the engagement of the pins 4 of the toothed sprocket with theteeth of gear 5.

Hub 28 has a portion of its free end diametrically reduced andtelescoped part way into a secured relation with a cylindrical sleeve39, preferably constructed of fiber, that portion of the sleeve 39 whichprojects beyond the telescoped end of the hub surrounding the spring 29.

Dial 2! carries a hub 3| which surrounds and is secured to the free endportion of the sleeve 39. Dial 2'! carries a pointer 32 to registerselectively with the graduations of a stationary dial 33 mounted on theface of the cover 34.

' End portion 2 3 also forms with sleeve 22 an outer annular shoulderagainst which abuts a conically shaped compression spring 35 heldthereagainst by a screw 39 tapped into the end of the aforementionedstub shaft 2-3.

As previously stated gear I I is in mesh with gear 8 which isresponsible for rotating the lower cam assembly once each hour. Lowercam assembly 7 comprises two 'abuttable, turnably adjustable cam members31 and 38, cam member 3? being located forwardiy of cam memer 33 as seenin Fig. 6. These two cam members are also separately shown in Figs. 9and 19 with their abuttable faces facing forwardly.

Gear 8 is rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 39 secured in the faceportion of the mounting plate 99 which supports the apparatus in thecasing I. Said gear 8 carries two diametrically opposite pins AI whichoccupy with a working fit openings 62 in the cam member 38. Member 38has an axial bore 43 through which extends a turnable shaft 44, saidshaft having an inner, shouldered end 45 perpendicularly abutted againstgear 8 and extending through said hole 43 with a clearance fit. Shaft 44 is provided with an axial bore 45a into which extends theaforementioned stub shaft 39 with a rotatable fit.

Cam member 37 is also provided with an axial hole 45 through which theturnable shaft 44 extends with a force fit so as to render the member 3?turnable with the shaft and at the same time adjustable in relation tothe member 38.

Shaft 46 extends outwardly beyond the dial face plate 36 where its outerend is provided with a knob 4? whereby the shaft 44 can be partiallyturned as need be to provide for the adjustability of the member 31 inrelation to the member 38.

The predetermined adjustability of member 37 in relation to member 38 isprovided for by utilizing a bearing ball 48 selectively settable inthree positions in a ball race 49 formed in the face of. the member 38with which the bearing ball cooperates, and a pin 50 carried by themember 97 and occupying an arcuate slot 5 I formed in the member 38.

Between the inner or, rear face of the member 39, as seen in Fig. 6,and. the shouldered end portion 35 of the shaft 44 is interposed a.coiled spring 52 surrounding the shaft, which is sufficiently tensionedto cause members 31 and 38 at all times to abut, but when the knob 4'!is manually turned so as to provide a new relationship of the abutted.cam members, the ball 48 will cause the member 38 to yield to the travelof the ball and move away therefrom under the opposition of the spring52 until the ball reaches another seat in the race 59. This movement ofrelation between the adjustable member 37 and fixed member 38 causes theperipheral cam teeth I9 of the respective cam members 31 and 38 to inturn assume different relationships as shown in Figs. 8, 11 and 12, theneed for which will be explained later.

A spacer spring 53 coiled around the. shaft 44 fills in the spacebetween the intermediate mounting plate 54 and the cam member 31 tominimize friction otherwise set up between the adjacent faces of the twolatter mentioned parts- Spacers 55 are utilized to maintain the spacedapart relation of the intermediate mounting plate 54 and the mountingplate 49.

Pin 58 is. preferably constructed as a cam so that the time the (micro)switch I5 remains closed can be made a variable within certain limits.This operation is accomplished by rotationally adjusting the cam pin 53about its axis in relation to the switch I 5. For example, when themicroswitch arm has to travel farther to close the switch, it willremain closed for a shorter period than when the opposite conditionoccurs.

The maximum period of time that the switch will remain closed isgoverned by the size of the cam notches I9. The eccentric cam pin 53 ineffect shortens the distance the projection I! on arm I2 has to travelin the notch to open the switch.

Arm I2 is preferably constructed to pivot on the eccentric pin I3. Thispeculiar pivoting can render less need for precision in the manufactureof the parts as the adjustment can be made Adjustments The width of thenotch or gap between shouldered faces 56 and 51 of the cams 20 and 2|determines the number of hours that the projection I 6 of arm 12 remainspositioned adjacent the gap l8 created by the relationship of the twocam elements 20 and 2| as seen in Figs. and 7. The latter two elementscan be set either to narrow or widen said gap by means of knob 25. Thewidth of the gap is denoted by the numerical setting of pointer 26 ondial 21 which will indicate the maximum number of hours the switched inappliance can be intermittently activated.

Gear 5 attached to cam element 2| can be rotated by knob 25 so as tochange the position of the gap created by the relationship of the earns20 and 2| to any position desired simply by manually pulling out knob25. This operation disengages gear 5 from the pins 4 of the two toothedsprocket on motor shaft 3 so that gear 5 can be rotated. The position ofthe gap in upper cam assembly is denoted by a stationary graduation ondial 33 on cover 34, which shows the number of hours between the timewhen the time switch mechanism is connected to the electric current andthe hour at which the appliance will be activated.

, The two cam elements 3'! and 38 of the lower cam assembly may beadjusted in relation to each other so that either one, two or fournotches I9, Figs. 12, 11 and 8, will appear on the adjusted camscircumferences. Each time the projection I1 is permitted to drop into aregistered pair of cam notches IS the arm l2 moves so that eccentric pin58 closes the contacts of (micro) switch l5. Relationship of the two camelements comprising the lower cam assembly are settable to either one,two or four notches in accordance with the numbers indicated on the faceof knob 41 (Fig. 1).

Fife-set controls of time switch mechanism Stationary graduated dial 33on cover face 34 provides a guide for setting the pointer 32 to indicateon the dial the number of elapsed hours between the time of setting thepointer and the time the switch mechanism can close the circuit to theappliance. Dial 2'! provides a guide for setting the pointer 25 toindicate the duration of the time or number of hours the switchmechanism can operate. Knob 4'! enables one to adjust the number oftimes each hour the appliance will operate for the number of hoursindicated by pointer 26 on dial 21.

Motor 2, as stated, rotates hour shaft once every hour. Gear 5 and uppercam assembly 6, as already stated, make one revolution every twenty fourhours. Pulling out knob 25 disengages gear 5 and upper cam assembly 5from motor shaft 3 and permits rotation of the latter gear :and camassembly so that the number or" hours can be pre-set on dial 33 bypointer 32 that it will take the gap 18 in cam assembly 6 to reachprojection 16 on switch arm [2 and allow the latter projection to dropinto the gap I8 provided for it when a registered pair of notches IS incam assembly 1 is positioned for having projection I! to drop into saidnotch l9.

Synchronization of the gaps l8 and notch I9 permit both of theprojections I 6 and I! on switch arm l2 to simultaneously droprespectively therein, and the swinging movement of the switch arm thuspermitted will in turn cause micro switch l5 to be closed by its contactwith the cam pin 58.

Setting operations 1st preset: To pre-set the number of hours of elapsedtime between the time when this mechanism is placed in the circuit ofthe appliance it is to control and the time when the appliance is to beactivated, pull out knob 25 (dial 2? will accompany it and rotate withknob 25) and rotate clockwise until the pointer 32 is adjacent to afigure on dial 33 equal to the number of hours that will elapse fromsetting time until the hour the appliance is to be energized. Thenrelease knob. To illustrate further: If this mechanism is placed in theelectric circuit of the appliance at 5 p. m. and it is desired to startthe operation of the appliance at 11 p. m. the number of hours between 5p. m. and 11 p. m. is siX. Therefore the pointer on dial 27 should beset adjacent to the figure six on dial 33. Thereafter this time switchwould energize the appliance at 11 p. In. every night without furtherado.

2nd pre-set: To pre-set the number of hours that the time switch willenergize an appliance, turn knob 25 so that the pointer 26 is adjacentthe figure on dial 2'! equal to the number of hours desired. Toillustrate further: Circuit will be energized at 11 p. m. by firstpre-set. It is desired that it remain energizable for four hours or from11 p. m. until 3 a. m. Therefore pointer 25 should be set at figure 4 ondial 21.

3rd pre-set: To pre-set the number of times per hour (one, two or four)that the appliance will be activated, knob 41 can be set in any one ofthree positions simply by turning it clockwise or anticlockwise. Whenturned to the left hand position the appliance will be activated onceeach hour of the hours determined by first and second pre-set. When inthe center position appliance will be activated two times each hour andwhen set in the right hand position appliance will be activated fourtimes each hour. This pre-set time of activation, number of hours ofactivation and number of times per hour the appliance would be activatedwould continue ad infinitum, or so long as this time switch mechanismwas in the electric circuit energizing the appliance.

I claim:

1. In a time switch mechanism of the kind described, a casing housing aclock mechanism driving an hour shaft, two cam assemblies, speed-reduction means connecting one of said cam asthereby once every hour,the cam assembly which is rotated once every twenty-four hourscomprising two cam elements which are so constructed and arranged thatwhen they are manually turned relative to each other either a continuous periphery is provided or a gap in their peripheries is provided,the cam assembl which is rotated once every hour also comprising tworelatively movable cam members provided with a plurality of cam notchesin their peripheries adapted to be selectively brought'into registry toprovide either a single registry of peripheral notches or a plurality ofregistered peripheral notches, a switch arm, a support secured to saidcasing, means pivotally connecting said switch arm to said support, saidswitch arm carrying two lateral projections, one of said projectionsbeing associated with the cam assembly that rotates once every twentyfour hours and the other projection being associated with the camassembly that rotates once everyhour, yieldable means acting betweensaid casing and switch arm and normally holding said other projection ina grazing relation to the periphery of its associated cam assemblywhereby to effect the seating of such projection in a pair of registerednotches of the latter cam assembly simultaneously with the seating ofsaid one projection in the gap of the cam assembly which rotates onceevery twenty-four hours, a switch carried by said switch arm, and meanscarried by the casing and associated with said switch to close anelectric circuit in which said switch is included when Said projectionwhich is associated with the cam assembly which rotates once every houris forced to drop into a pair of registered notches in the latter camassembly under the urge of said yieldable means.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 and said means which is carried by saidcasing and associated with said switch comprising a cam pin.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 and means operatively connected toone of the cam elements of the cam. assembly which rotates once everytwenty-four hours to turnably adjust it relatively to its companion camelement to widen or narrow said gap in accordance with the number ofhours it is desired for the projection associated with the cam assemblywhich rotates once each hour to drop into a pair of registered notchesin the periphery of the latter cam assembly.

4. The subject matter of claim 3 and means associated with one of thecam members of the cam assembly which rotates once every hour toturnably adjust it relative to its companion cam member to pre-set thenumber of registered notches in their peripheries in accordance with thenumber of times each hour it is desired for the projection associatedwith the latter cam assembly to drop into the registered notchesthereof.

5. In a time switch mechanism of the kind described, a casing, a clockmechanism housed within said casing and driving an hour shaft, two

cam assemblies carried by said casing, speed re-' duction meansconnecting one of said cam assemblies to said hour shaft to be rotatedthereby once every twenty-four hours, additional means connecting theother of said cam assemblies to said hour shaft to be rotated therebyonce every hour, the cam assembly which is ro-1 tated once everytwenty-four hours comprising two contiguous, turnably adjustable,circular cam elements each having radius struck depressions in theirperipheral portions extending through.- out at least half of theircircumferences with radially extending shoulders at the ends of saiddepressions and providing a variable gap between the shoulders ofadjacent cam elements when adjusted relative to each other, the camassembly which is rotated once every hour comprising two contiguous,turnably adjustable in relation to each, other circular cam membershaving a plu rality of cam notches in their peripheries adapted to bevselectively brought into registry when relatively turned, and a switcharm provided with two projections, one of said projections seating in aregistered pair of notches in the latter cam assembly when the camelements of the twentyfour hour cam assembly have been adjustedto form agap in which to seat simultaneously the other projection of the switcharm.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5 and a switch carried by saidswitch arm, pivotal means carried b said casing whereto mount saidswitch arm, yieldable means acting between said casing and switch armtending to close said switch, and means carried by said casing andeffective toclose said switch when the projection associated with saidregistered pair of notches seats therein under the urge of saidyieldable means.

7. The subject matter of claim 6 and said pivotal means for mountingsaid switch. arm comprising an eccentric member upon which said switcharm has an oscillatory movement thereabout.

8. The structure recited in claim 5 and a gear connected to one of thecam elements which rotates once every twenty-four hours, meansassociated with the companion cam element of said gear connected cam toadjust said cam element in relation to said gear connected cam elementto pre-set the number of hours the projection associated with the onehour rotated cam assembly will seat into a registered pair of notches ora plurality of pairs of registered notches thereof, and dial pre-settingmeans carried by said casing to pre-set the number of hours before theseating of said projection in said registered notches becomes effective;

9. The structure recited in claim. 5 and the first recited speedreduction means comprising a gear connected to one of the cam elementsof the cam assembly which rotates once every twenty-four hours, andmanually operated means associated with the other cam element of thelatter cam assembly to adjust said other cam element in relation to saidgear connected cam to circumferentially widen or narrow the depressionbetween the shoulders of the respective cam elements.

10. The subject matter of claim 9 and a stationary dial mounted on theface of said casing, a dial operatively connected to and rotatable withsaid gear and connected cam element, the latter dial having a pointerassociated with the first recited dial, a knob carried by said manuallyoperated means and. having a pointer to co-operate with said latter dialto register the number of hours in correspondence with the length ofsaid depression between shoulders of adjusted cam elements, andsupporting means carried by said casing whereon to longitudinally adjustsaid cam assembly which rotates once every twenty-four hours and itsassociated gear together with said manually operated means. on saidsupporting means to detach the teeth of said gear from their operativeconnection with said hour shaft whereby to rotate the rotatable dial inrelation to said stationary dial to pre-set the number of hours ofelapsed time before the seating of the projection in said registerednotches.

11. In a time switch mechanism of the kind described, a first camassembly including a cam driving gear, clock mechanism, an hour shaftrotated by said clock mechanism, means rotated by said hour shaft andoperatively con- 9 nected to said cam driving gear to rotate said firstcam assembly once every twenty-four hours, a second cam assembly, saidsecond cam assembly comprising two cam members turnably adjustable inrelation to each other, a second gear, means operatively connecting saidsecond gear with said second cam assembly, a gear carried by said hourshaft and rotated thereby, gearing operatively connecting said hourshaft gear to said second gear to rotate said second cam assembly onceevery hour, said two cam members of the second cam assembly having camnotches in their peripheries, manually operable means connected to oneof said two cam members to turnably adjust it relative to the other cammember whereby to register one cam notch of one cam member with a camnotch of the other cam member, a spring tensioned pivoted switch armhaving a projection grazing the peripheries of the members comprisinsaid second cam assembly and adapted to seat intermittently in a pair ofregistered cam notches when the latter notches are rotated by said clockmechanism into a position for the associated projection to dropthereinto as a result of the spring tensioning of said arm, an electricswitch carried by said switch arm, and means associated therewitheffective to close said switch by the dropping of said associatedprojection into said registered notches.

12. The subject matter of claim 11 and said means which operativelyconnects said second gear with said second cam assembly comprising pinscarried by said second gear and projecting into apertures in theadjacent cam member with a working fit.

13. The structure recited in claim 11 and yieldable means acting betweensaid second gear and the adjacent cam member to maintain the contiguityof said two cam members.

14. The structure recited in claim 11 and a ball race in the face of oneof said cam members of said second cam assembly and provided with aplurality of ball seats, and a ball in a seat in the adjacent face ofthe other cam member selectively seatable in the seats of said ballrace.

15. The structure recited in claim 14 and means carried by one of saidcam members and projectable into a slot in the other of said cam membersto limit the relative rotation thereof to the extent of said ball race.

EARL W. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Everard May 13, 1952Number

